Your question is rather vague and does not explain why you are asking this on the travel to France forum. What kind of crystal are you enquiring about, and why?
a rock? an object?
Is it in your possession or are you looking for something specific?
Crystal comes in many forms and French man made crystal is reputed for its qualities such as purity and its shine due to the amount of lead it contains, but even excellent quality crystal is breakable, and drinking glasses in particular can be very fragile and break unless they are very thick. You can tell the difference between an object made of plain glass and one made of crystal by tapping it gently with a metal object like a tea spoon and crystal it will ping with a clear sound like a bell whilst glass only has a dull sound.
Generally speaking finer crystal has clear cut edges like a diamond whilst industrially made pressed crystal has rounder edges and does not reflect light as brightly.
Defining the difference between crystal and glass is not an exact process. While is it true that all crystal is also glass, only certain types can be properly identified with this term. Outside this rather broad statement, however, there are not any ironclad rules that are universally invoked as part of the defining process. Across the globe, there are different standards that are employed in various countries around the world that determine if the quality and lead content of a particular substance can be properly classified as crystal or not. Even within some countries, the qualities that must be present in order for glass to earn the other name may vary.
The lead content of glass is usually a determinant in the classification of finished goods. In the European community, items that have more than 4% but less than 10% of lead monoxide usually earn the designation of glass. While this is not always the case, items that are found to have a lead content of 8 to 10% is granted the status of lead glass. Goods with a lead monoxide content of between 10% and 30% earn the designation of crystal. In the event that the lead monoxide content exceeds 30%, the item is often identified as lead crystal.
If you are talking about a natural piece of rock then only an expert can tell you whether it is crystal or not.
Q: I read that crystals can bring luck and avoid evil. Is that true? A: Probably not precisely in those terms. Q: Maybe it is fake one? A: The word 'fake' doesn't apply to crystals. Q: How to differentiate real crystals from fake ones??? A: Any crystal might work for you in some ways, not in others. Cheap glass teardrops made for lamp pulls sometimes work as well as any other for some purposes. Choosing the crystals a person wishes to have around is a personal matter. Most who use them have methods of their own. I generally just walk around in a rock and mineral store, pick up double terminated crystals, hold them a while, 'listen' to them. Tap them.
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Verified answer
Your question is rather vague and does not explain why you are asking this on the travel to France forum. What kind of crystal are you enquiring about, and why?
a rock? an object?
Is it in your possession or are you looking for something specific?
Crystal comes in many forms and French man made crystal is reputed for its qualities such as purity and its shine due to the amount of lead it contains, but even excellent quality crystal is breakable, and drinking glasses in particular can be very fragile and break unless they are very thick. You can tell the difference between an object made of plain glass and one made of crystal by tapping it gently with a metal object like a tea spoon and crystal it will ping with a clear sound like a bell whilst glass only has a dull sound.
Generally speaking finer crystal has clear cut edges like a diamond whilst industrially made pressed crystal has rounder edges and does not reflect light as brightly.
Defining the difference between crystal and glass is not an exact process. While is it true that all crystal is also glass, only certain types can be properly identified with this term. Outside this rather broad statement, however, there are not any ironclad rules that are universally invoked as part of the defining process. Across the globe, there are different standards that are employed in various countries around the world that determine if the quality and lead content of a particular substance can be properly classified as crystal or not. Even within some countries, the qualities that must be present in order for glass to earn the other name may vary.
The lead content of glass is usually a determinant in the classification of finished goods. In the European community, items that have more than 4% but less than 10% of lead monoxide usually earn the designation of glass. While this is not always the case, items that are found to have a lead content of 8 to 10% is granted the status of lead glass. Goods with a lead monoxide content of between 10% and 30% earn the designation of crystal. In the event that the lead monoxide content exceeds 30%, the item is often identified as lead crystal.
If you are talking about a natural piece of rock then only an expert can tell you whether it is crystal or not.
Q: I read that crystals can bring luck and avoid evil. Is that true? A: Probably not precisely in those terms. Q: Maybe it is fake one? A: The word 'fake' doesn't apply to crystals. Q: How to differentiate real crystals from fake ones??? A: Any crystal might work for you in some ways, not in others. Cheap glass teardrops made for lamp pulls sometimes work as well as any other for some purposes. Choosing the crystals a person wishes to have around is a personal matter. Most who use them have methods of their own. I generally just walk around in a rock and mineral store, pick up double terminated crystals, hold them a while, 'listen' to them. Tap them.
I think possibly the easiest way is to find out exactly where it was originally purchased. A well know
shop will only sell crystal if it is crystal. If it was purchased on Ebay or similar or at a flea market,
I would say, if you want an expert and correct answer, you must contact a professional appraiser..
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RE:
how do i know if its a real crystal?
does not break , and shines in light , no sharp spots.